Eclipse Comics

Eclipse Comics was an American comic book publisher, one of several influential independent publishers during the 1980s and early 1990s. In 1978, it published the first graphic novel for the newly-created comic book specialty store market. It was one of the first to offer royalties and creator ownership of rights, and the first comics company to publish trading cards.

Eclipse was known for its eclectic mix of titles and products. Many noteworthy creators got their start or did early work there, including Chuck Austen, Donna Barr, Dan Brereton, Chuck Dixon, James Hudnall, Scott McCloud, Peter Milligan, Tim Truman, and Chris Ware. Veterans published by Eclipse include Steve Englehart, Don McGregor, Gene Colan and Mark Evanier.

The company is also known for its role in the publication history of the acclaimed and contested series Miracleman.

History

The company was founded as Eclipse Enterprises by brothers Jan and Dean Mullaney in 1977. Eclipse published one of the first original graphic novels (as opposed to collected reprint material), Sabre: Slow Fade of an Endangered Species by Don McGregor and Paul Gulacy. Published in August 1978 — two months before Will Eisner's more famous, graphic short-story collection A Contract with God — it led to a 14-issue spin-off series for Eclipse.

McGregor went on to write two additional early graphic novels for Eclipse, each set in contemporary New York City and starring interracial-buddy private eyes Ted Denning and Bob Rainier: Detectives, Inc.: A Rememembrance of Threatening Green (1980), with artist Marshall Rogers, and Detectives, Inc.: A Terror Of Dying Dreams (1985), with artist Gene Colan, who would become a frequent collaborator.

The company also had early success with the anthology magazine Eclipse and color comic Eclipse Monthly, as well as with the detective series Ms. Tree by Max Allan Collins.

Eclipse moved from 81 Delaware Street, Staten Island, New York, to Sonoma County, California, in the early 1980s. There it expanded operations under editor Cat Yronwode. In 1988, in partnership with Viz Communications, Eclipse published the first Japanese manga translated into English. It later expanded its manga line in collaboration with Studio Proteus. In 1986, Eclipse lost most of its back-issue stock in a flood. The company ceased operations in 1994, with its intellectual property rights acquired by Todd McFarlane. Its last publication was its Spring 1993 catalog, which was a complete bibliography of its publications.

Eclipse titles (incomplete)

• Adolescent Radioactive Black Belt Hamsters
• Airboy by Chuck Dixon
• Alien Encounters
• Alien Worlds
• Area 88
• Axel Pressbutton by Pedro Henry, Steve Dillon, and Brian Bolland
• Aztec Ace
• Bernie Wrightson, Master of the Macabre by Bernie Wrightson
• Black Terror
• Brought to Light
• California Girls (1987) by Trina Robbins
• Clive Barker: Dread (1992) by Fred Burke and Dan Brereton
• Clive Barker: The Life of Death (1993) by Fred Burke, Steve Niles, Stewart Stanyard and Hector Gomez
• Clive Barker: Son of Celluloid (1991) by Steve Niles and Les Edwards
• Clive Barker: Rawhead Rex (1994) by Steve Niles and Lionel Talaro
• Clive Barker: Revelations (1992) by Steve Niles and Lionel Talaro
• Clive Barker: Tapping the Vein 1989-92 anthology series, edited by Fred Burke (and Valerie Jones, Book 5)
• Clive Barker: The Yattering and Jack (1991) by Steve Niles and John Bolton
• Crossfire by Mark Evanier and Dan Spiegle
• Cynicalman by Matt Feazell
• Detectives, Inc.: A Rememembrance of Threatening Green (1980 graphic novel) by Don McGregor and Marshall Rogers
• Detectives, Inc.: A Terror Of Dying Dreams (1985 graphic novel) by Don McGregor and Gene Colan
• Destroyer Duck by Steve Gerber, Jack Kirby, and Buzz Dixon
• Dinosaurs Attack!
• The Dirty Pair "Biohazards" by Adam Warren and Toren Smith
• The Dirty Pair "Dangerous Acquaintances" by Adam Warren and Toren Smith
• The DNAgents by Mark Evanier and Will Meugniot
• The Dreamery, by Donna Barr, Lela Dowling and Lex Nakashima.
• Espers by James Hudnall
• Eclipse Magazine
• Eclipse Monthly
• Fashion in Action
• Fusion, by Steven Barnes, Lela Dowling, Steve Gallacci, Lex Nakashima and many more
• Giant Sized Mini Comics
• Guerilla Groundhog
• The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien adapted by Charles Dixon with art by David Wenzel
• Hotspur
• Killer ... Tales by Timothy Truman
• Kitz n Katz
• Krazy & Ignatz, reprints of Sunday Krazy Kat strips by George Herriman. This series covered the years 1916 through 1924. The series was revived by Fantagraphics in 2002, beginning with strips dating from 1925.
• Laser Eraser and Pressbutton
• The Liberty Project by Kurt Busiek and James W. Fry
• Masked Man
• Mai the Psychic Girl
• Miracleman by Alan Moore, Neil Gaiman, and others
• Modesty Blaise: First American Editions - reprints of British comic strips of the 1960s and 1980s by Peter O'Donnell, with art by Jim Holdaway and Neville Colvin.
• Ms. Tree by Max Allan Collins and Terry Beatty
• Mr. Monster
• The New Wave
• Night Music by P. Craig Russell
• The Prowler
• Radio Boy
• Ragamuffins
• Real War Stories
• Reid Fleming, World's Toughest Milkman
• The Rocketeer
• Sabre: Slow Fade of an Endangered Species (1978 graphic novel) by Don McGregor and Paul Gulacy
• Sabre by Don McGregor and Billy Graham
• Scout by Timothy Truman
• Siegel and Shuster, Dateline 1930s
• Skywolf
• Spaced
• Star Reach Classics
• Stewart the Rat by Steve Gerber, Gene Colan, and Tom Palmer
• Storm Watcher
• Strange Days by Peter Milligan, Brendan McCarthy, and Brett Ewins
• Surge by Mark Evanier, Rick Hoberg, and Al Gordon
• Tales of the Beanworld by Larry Marder
• Tales Of Terror
• The Three Stooges in 3-D
• Twisted Tales
• Valkyrie
• Villains and Vigilantes
• Weasel Patrol
• Winterworld
• Zooniverse
• Zot! by Scott McCloud

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